CANNABIS CAPER

As a technical advisor for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
(CACP) Drug Abuse Committee, which wrote the drug policy to which you
referred, I feel I must point out at least one technicality, or major
error, in the April 1 editorial entitled Time to Legalize Pot.

Contrary to what you had written about their pro-legalization of marijuana
possession stance, in fact, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
(CACP) stands firm in opposing any type of legalization of any and all
current illicit drugs in Canada, including the possession of small amounts
of marihuana or other cannabis derivatives in accord with international
covenants to which Canada is a signatory.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police last year announced support
for alternative justice measures (i.e. decriminalization of simple
marijuana possession) but never legalization. Legalization and
decriminalization are quite different (yet often confused).

The CACP supports alternative justice measures to deal with those who are
discovered to have small amounts of marijuana in their possession, which
can be found below in an excerpt from the CACP Resolutions passed by the
Executive in August , 1999.

"Alternative justice measures should be established, as set out in Bill
C-41, for summary conviction offences of possession of cannabis, after a
mandatory assessment of the accused. A range of options should include, but
not be limited to: drug and life skills counselling, fines, community
service or a combination of alternative measures ..." In conjunction with
prevention, education and supply reduction measures as essential
cornerstones, Canadians would receive benefit.

Holly Richter, RCMP Drug Awareness Service, CACP Drug Abuse Committee --
Technical Advisor, Ottawa.